Daine Lost Her Temper
by By My Pen
Summary: How do the peace delegation and the king of Tortall react when they see the result of Daine losing her temper in Carthak? Tell me if you think the rating is wrong.
1. Allowed Back

**A/N: **Okay this is a separate story from, but has references to, my other Numair/Daine story. It's called Everyone Else Can See It and I recommend and ask that you read it first - if only so that I may have more readers for my other story XD. But don't feel you have to. If you could review this story, that'd be nice too.

* * *

><p>"Daine what?" Alanna the Lioness's voice was laced with disbelief and confusion. The speaking spell in her hand, purple for her Gift, chuckled.<p>

"I know," the voice that followed, like the chuckle, was Numair's, "hard to believe, isn't it? If I hadn't looked right at it, side by side with Kaddar, I wouldn't have believed it myself. I had a fair amount of trouble as it is," he chuckled again, "Daine destroyed Emperor Ozorne's palace and the man in question turned himself into a Stormwing."

Duke Gareth, to Alanna's left, grunted in confusion, obviously still unconvinced. "And we're allowed to come back into port now? Because our Wildmage destroyed the palace?"

Alanna gave a short laugh. "So it would seem...I think I'm going to have to see this for myself."

She looked around at the others in the cabin with her. She was met with the disbelieving faces of Gareth the Younger, Haralit, Duke Gareth the Elder and several other nobles from the delegation. When she met Gary's eyes, he chuckled and shook his head.

"Yes, as shall I," he remarked, "this is just too good Alanna." His chuckle quickly grew to a hearty laugh. Daine's voice came from the speaking spell then.

"Um...sorry everyone," she said quietly, "I just kind of...lost my temper."

Gary and Alanna laughed hard at this. When Gary had gained enough control to speak, he said, "Oh no, Daine. Alanna challenging a man who offends her to a duel is losing temper. This? This is a whole new level of angry!"

* * *

><p>"Well I never..." Duke Gareth trailed off. He was standing at the front gates of the palace, looking at the destruction from the bottom of the hill, accompanied by the entire Tortallan delegation. There were mumblings all around but the clearest voice the Duke could hear was that of his son's, standing next to him.<p>

"Wow," Gary agreed, "Alanna, I don't think even your temper could accomplish this..."

Alanna, on Gary's other side, nodded. She had previously disliked his jibing at her temper in comparison to Daine's but now, looking at the ruins of what had just yesterday been Emperor Ozorne's magnificent palace, she had to agree. Even _she _couldn't have done such damage on anger alone. She turned to Daine, who was standing with Numair, Kaddar and Lindhall, facing the delegation.

"What amazes me most, is that you did that," she gestured to the palace, "and we now have peace with Carthak."

All within earshot chuckled at this; Numair, Kaddar and Lindhall included. All except Daine, who wrinkled her nose.

"Alanna, dear, you're overstating the matter," she said dryly, "and within the same sentence are teasing me. Which is it to be? Am I to be excessively praised or mockingly laughed at?" The sarcastic tone in her voice brought on more chuckles. Numair put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her gently to his side.

"I'm sure, with the Lioness is involved, it'll be both," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair as Alanna came towards them. Daine rolled her eyes.

"I'm neither mocking nor overstating. But don't worry youngster," Alanna said, patting Daine's free shoulder, "I'll try not to find it _too_ funny."

"For you, that'll be a very great effort," Daine replied, the dry tone not leaving her voice.

"Well you have to admit," Alanna defended, struggling to contain laughter, "now that the danger has passed, it _is_ pretty funny."

Daine looked at Numair and made a face. "Trying so hard already," she said, turning to send a pointed glare at Alanna. The king's champion only laughed harder. Daine felt Numair moving beside her and when she turned to look, she saw that he too was laughing. Feeling betrayed, Daine huffed and shrugged off Numair's arm. She stormed off, pretending to be a lot angrier than she was, in search of some less teasing animal friends. When Numair and Alanna called after her with laughter still in their voices, she waved them off with an absent hand. I'm never going to live this down, she thought grimly.


	2. Going Home

Daine suddenly remembered her deal with the rats and turned to relay it to Kaddar quickly before she left. His expression nearly made Daine laugh before she recalled that she was supposed to be sulking – at Numair for dying and coming back to life, scaring _her_ half to death in the meantime, but also at Alanna for finding the whole thing incredibly funny. Instead she smiled in a way she hoped seemed grudging to Numair and Alanna but friendly to Kaddar. It was quite a feat but she seemed to manage it. Once she had waved goodbye for so long that her arm hurt and she could no longer see Kaddar, she turned to find Alanna standing behind her. The Lioness grinned, making Daine groan.

"Aren't you seasick yet? I was looking forward to a break in the teasing," she said, knowing full well what that grin meant. She didn't really wish her friend ill, but the natural seasickness that she couldn't help seemed a good way to avoid her merciless teasing.

"Shame on you, Verlidaine," Alanna replied, mock-stern, "I should hope that you don't speak to the Emperor in such a way?"

"Yes I do, as a matter of fact. Especially when he's being a dolt. Or brings up the state of his palace," Daine retorted.

"Oh yes, that probably wasn't the strongest argument," Alanna returned to her amused face and tone, "well happily for me, the seasickness doesn't settle in for a moment or two but even when it does you shall get no such break. Being seasick may confine me to my bed but it doesn't confine my jokes to my head. The Lioness of Tortall is not defeated so easily!" She puffed out her chest and put her hands on her hips, trying to create the image of a self-important, proud and stuffy noble from court. The corners of Daine's mouth twitched but before she could give Alanna anymore satisfaction, she turned back to the ship's rail and looked out to sea. Alanna came to stand next to her, a little unsteadily.

"Oooo look at all that sloshing, swaying water Alanna," Daine prodded.

Alanna groaned. "Be careful, or I'll end up throwing up on you."

"I was merely showing you that two can play at your game," Daine retorted grumpily. Alanna looked over at her, frowning.

"What's the matter, youngling?" she asked, concerned, "it's just a little teasing – gods know I've had to put up with plenty for my temper. You did well, even if you did get a bit angry." She smiled crookedly, not letting her concern entirely overtake the humour of the matter. It had been a stressful time in Carthak and now she was letting off some steam.

"Did I?" Daine asked absently, still staring off to sea, "what if it hadn't worked? It was completely reckless and I could have ruined everything for Tortall – and Numair wouldn't have been any less dead! I mean, I _know _he wasn't, but what if he had actually died Alanna? And I had destroyed any chance of preventing war and...and..."

"Hey, hey. Slow down, Daine," Alanna was slightly alarmed, she'd had no idea that the younger woman had been harbouring such thoughts. Stupid, she thought, of course she was – and here you've been, teasing her about it! "You need to stop thinking about the 'what ifs', Daine, and focus on the good that you've done. We have a peace treaty with Carthak, thanks to you. And now you're friends with its current Emperor, as well as having already been friends with the king of Tortall. This is not small stuff, Daine."

Daine sighed and looked back at Alanna. "I guess. It's just...what you were saying about me being Numair's weak spot?" Alanna nodded, "well I think it's fair obvious now that Numair's mine too," she looked down at her nervously wringing hands, "I just don't think it's good that either of us should have a weak spot. I mean, Numair's a _black robed mage_ for Mithros' sake! He shouldn't have a weak spot! And me? When your emotions bubble over, Alanna, you crackle purple and challenge someone to a duel – when mine bubble over, all animals within ten miles go berserk and turn on their owners. It's just plain dangerous."

Alanna could feel the seasickness coming on now but her sympathy for the girl she counted as a sister overwhelmed it for the time being. No wonder Daine was grumpy about all this; she'd had a lot of things bottled up.

"Oh Daine, you can't think like that," she said, putting an arm around the younger woman, "everyone's got weak spots, sweet. We can't help it. It means we love and are loved," she smiled, "that can't be a bad thing, surely?"

"Well, _no,_ when you put it like that...but have you destroyed any palaces or turned anyone into a tree for the people you love?"

Alanna chuckled. "No, I can't say I have. But it's kind of different for you and Numair..." she trailed off, remembering her conversation with Gary about mage and magelet. When Daine prompted her, she merely shook her head ruefully. "Never mind. Look, there's two ways to think of your weak spot," she counted it out on her fingers, "either you look at it the way you already are, saying that it puts everyone in danger. _Or_ you can be glad that you know your weak spot and know that there aren't many, so you can focus your energies on keeping the person in question from harm," she sighed, "I, for one, know that the amount of weak spots I have only increases with age. Be glad that you only have a few – I wish I could do better at protecting mine."

Alanna had never sounded so bitter, not to Daine's ears, and it caught her by surprise. She rubbed the older woman's shoulder affectionately.

"I think you do a mighty fine job," she wondered how the tables had turned so quickly; now she was comforting Alanna. "Thank you for this Alanna. I'm feeling much better about it now."

"Well that's good because my stomach is kicking up a fuss already," Alanna looked greenish, "and think about it – by focusing your energies on protecting Numair, you'll just _have_ to spend more time with him," she grinned, picking up the last ounce of humour she could muster before stowing away, "I think you and I both know how much you enjoy his company." And before Daine could question her further, Alanna retreated to her cabin. Daine was left by the rail, pondering whether or not there was deeper meaning to that statement.


	3. Debrief

After the delegation was sufficiently rested (or more specifically, Alanna was over her seasickness), Jonathan called them for a de-brief. The only news he had heard was a very brief and very confusing letter. Considering the distance, they weren't able to communicate via speech-spell, so the king was left entirely in disarray. All he knew was that they now had a peace treaty and it was all thanks to Daine. When he had them all seated, Jon asked for a report from his champion and Duke Gareth.

"Let me get this straight," Jon said once they'd done, "Daine destroyed the palace, infested it with rats for a year and a day," he turned to look at the Wildmage, "and now we have peace with Carthak?"

Alanna, smirking, made an affirming noise, also looking at Daine. It seemed the whole room was. "You should have seen it Jon – it puts what we did in the Black City to shame!"

Daine was looking increasingly like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole, bright red. When she spoke, her voice was nervous, "S-sorry, your majesty. I- I lost my temper, a little..." She looked down at her hands, not wanting to see the looks on everyone's faces. A chuckle from the king startled her to looking back up at him.

"Don't apologise, my dear," he said kindly, "you have single-handedly overthrown a tyrannical monarchy, created peace and an alliance between your country and another and prevented war. There is absolutely _nothing _to apologise for." He looked at Numair, sitting beside his student, and grinned. "I'd say 'a little' is an understatement though, wouldn't you Numair?"

"I'd say it was a severe understatement, Jon." Daine glared at Numair reproachfully. "Alas, I'm already in trouble enough for pretending to die without letting Daine know, so I need to tread carefully. What I will say is this," he looked down at Daine, smiling, "I'm incredibly flattered; that Daine should destroy an entire palace in vengeance for my death is a great compliment."

Daine flushed a little but smiled nonetheless. "Well, you _did _turn Tristan Staghorn into a tree over me...I figured I ought to return the favour." The room chuckled at this. Alanna, never to miss a joke, spoke up again. She also thought it'd probably be best to draw away from the pair of them being so obvious without even knowing it.

"I think perhaps, it was a bit overkill though," she laughed, "A palace for a tree?"

When the laughter died down, Jon moved the meeting onto other members, much to Daine's relief. Numair reached out and stroked Daine's cheek, in encouragement and thanks. No-one noticed when Daine turned to smile up at him and take his hand, holding it under the table for the rest of the meeting. No-one except Alanna and Gary, that is. Exchanging brief looks, they smirked at one another before turning back to the meeting.


End file.
